Computer casing having alignment line

ABSTRACT

A computer casing for a computer includes a housing, and a side cover. The side cover has a plurality of locking hooks, at least one first straight side and at least one second straight side. The housing has at least one first side rail having a straight side and a plurality of locking slots and at least one second side rail having at least one alignment line. Thus, when the first straight side of the side cover aligns with the straight side of the first side rail of the housing and the second straight side of the side cover aligns with the alignment line of the second side rail of the housing, each of the locking hooks of the side cover is inserted into the respective locking slot of the first side rail.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a casing, and more particularly to acasing for a computer.

2. Description of the Related Art

A conventional computer casing for a computer in accordance with theprior art is disclosed in the Taiwanese Patent Publication No. M287456and comprises a housing, and a side cover mounted on the housing. Theside cover has an inner face provided with a plurality of locking hooks.The housing has a face formed with a plurality of locking slots to lockthe locking hooks of the side cover. However, when the side cover isattached to the housing, the user cannot see the inner face of the sidecover, so that it is difficult to align each of the locking hooks of theside cover with the respective locking slot of the housing, therebycausing inconvenience to the user during assembly of the side cover. Inaddition, the locking hooks of the side cover are easily compressed anddeformed due to misalignment.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is to mitigate and/or obviate the disadvantage ofthe conventional computer casing.

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a computercasing having at least one alignment line.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a computercasing, wherein each of the locking hooks of the side cover is insertedinto the respective locking slot of the first side rail by guidance ofthe alignment line, so that the side cover is mounted onto the housingeasily and rapidly.

A further objective of the present invention is to provide a computercasing, wherein each of the locking hooks of the side cover is exactlyaligned with the respective locking slot of the first side rail byguidance of the alignment line, thereby preventing the locking hooks ofthe side cover from being compressed and deformed due to misalignment.

A further objective of the present invention is to provide a computercasing, wherein the side cover is movable toward the outer side of thesecond side rail of the housing by guidance of the indicating mark, sothat the side cover is mounted onto the housing easily and rapidly.

Further benefits and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent after a careful reading of the detailed description withappropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a computer casing in accordance with apreferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the computer casing as shownin FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic operational view of the computer casing as shownin FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a locally enlarged view of the computer casing as shown inFIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the computer casing as shown in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 6 is a locally enlarged view of the computer casing as shown inFIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings and initially to FIGS. 1-4, a casing for acomputer in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the presentinvention comprises a housing 2, and a side cover 1 mounted on thehousing 2.

The side cover 1 has an inner face 10 and a plurality of locking hooks14 mounted on the inner face 10. The inner face 10 of the side cover 1has at least one first straight side 11 and at least one second straightside 12 perpendicular to the first straight side 11.

The housing 2 has at least one first side rail 21 facing the firststraight side 11 of the side cover 1 and at least one second side rail22 facing the second straight side 12 of the side cover 1 andperpendicular to the first side rail 21. The first side rail 21 of thehousing 2 has a straight side 210 aligning with the first straight side11 of the side cover 1 and has a face formed with a plurality of lockingslots 23 to lock the locking hooks 14 of the side cover 1.

The second side rail 22 of the housing 2 has at least one alignment line3. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the second siderail 22 of the housing 2 has two alignment lines 3 in line with eachother.

In assembly, when the first straight side 11 of the side cover 1 alignswith the straight side 210 of the first side rail 21 of the housing 2and the second straight side 12 of the side cover 1 aligns with thealignment line 3 of the second side rail 22 of the housing 2, each ofthe locking hooks 14 of the side cover 1 is inserted into the respectivelocking slot 23 of the first side rail 21 as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.Thus, the user only needs to align the first straight side 11 of theside cover 1 with the straight side 210 of the first side rail 21 of thehousing 2 and to align the second straight side 12 of the side cover 1with the alignment line 3 of the second side rail 22 of the housing 2,so that each of the locking hooks 14 of the side cover 1 is insertedinto the respective locking slot 23 of the first side rail 21 exactlyand smoothly.

Thus, each of the locking hooks 14 of the side cover 1 is inserted intothe respective locking slot 23 of the first side rail 21 by guidance ofthe alignment line 3, so that the side cover 1 is mounted onto thehousing 2 easily and rapidly. In addition, each of the locking hooks 14of the side cover 1 is exactly aligned with the respective locking slot23 of the first side rail 21 by guidance of the alignment line 3,thereby preventing the locking hooks 14 of the side cover 1 from beingcompressed and deformed due to misalignment.

Preferably, the alignment line 3 is formed by punching, stamping,etching, printing, painting or bonding. In the preferred embodiment ofthe present invention, the alignment line 3 is formed by punching orstamping, so that the alignment line 3 has a depth and has awear-resistant feature.

On the other hand, after each of the locking hooks 14 of the side cover1 is inserted into the respective locking slot 23 of the first side rail21, the side cover 1 is moved toward an outer side 220 of the secondside rail 22 of the housing 2, so that each of the locking hooks 14 ofthe side cover 1 is locked in the respective locking slot 23 of thefirst side rail 21 so as to attach the side cover 1 to the housing 2.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the second side rail 22 of the housing 2 hasat least one indicating mark 4 directed toward the outer side 220 of thesecond side rail 22 of the housing 2, so that the side cover 1 ismovable toward the outer side 220 of the second side rail 22 of thehousing 2 by guidance of the indicating mark 4. In the preferredembodiment of the present invention, the indicating mark 4 is locatedadjacent to the alignment line 3.

As shown in FIG. 2, the side cover 1 is provided with a protrudinghandle 5 to facilitate a user assembling and disassembling the sidecover 1.

Accordingly, each of the locking hooks 14 of the side cover 1 isinserted into the respective locking slot 23 of the first side rail 21by guidance of the alignment line 3, so that the side cover 1 is mountedonto the housing 2 easily and rapidly. In addition, each of the lockinghooks 14 of the side cover 1 is exactly aligned with the respectivelocking slot 23 of the first side rail 21 by guidance of the alignmentline 3, thereby preventing the locking hooks 14 of the side cover 1 frombeing compressed and deformed due to misalignment. Further, the sidecover 1 is movable toward the outer side 220 of the second side rail 22of the housing 2 by guidance of the indicating mark 4, so that the sidecover 1 is mounted onto the housing 2 easily and rapidly.

Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferredembodiment(s) as mentioned above, it is to be understood that many otherpossible modifications and variations can be made without departing fromthe scope of the present invention. It is, therefore, contemplated thatthe appended claim or claims will cover such modifications andvariations that fall within the true scope of the invention.

1. A computer casing, comprising a housing, and a side cover mounted onthe housing, wherein: the side cover has an inner face and a pluralityof locking hooks mounted on the inner face; the inner face of the sidecover has at least one first straight side and at least one secondstraight side perpendicular to the first straight side; the housing hasat least one first side rail facing the first straight side of the sidecover and at least one second side rail facing the second straight sideof the side cover and perpendicular to the first side rail; the firstside rail of the housing has a straight side aligning with the firststraight side of the side cover and has a face formed with a pluralityof locking slots to lock the locking hooks of the side cover; the secondside rail of the housing has at least one alignment line; when the firststraight side of the side cover aligns with the straight side of thefirst side rail of the housing and the second straight side of the sidecover aligns with the alignment line of the second side rail of thehousing, each of the locking hooks of the side cover is inserted intothe respective locking slot of the first side rail.
 2. The computercasing in accordance with claim 1, wherein the alignment line has adepth.
 3. The computer casing in accordance with claim 1, wherein thesecond side rail of the housing has at least one indicating markdirected toward an outer side of the second side rail of the housing. 4.The computer casing in accordance with claim 3, wherein the indicatingmark is located adjacent to the alignment line.
 5. The computer casingin accordance with claim 3, wherein the side cover is movable toward theouter side of the second side rail of the housing by guidance of theindicating mark.
 6. The computer casing in accordance with claim 1,wherein the side cover is provided with a protruding handle tofacilitate a user assembling and disassembling the side cover.
 7. Thecomputer casing in accordance with claim 1, wherein each of the lockinghooks of the side cover is inserted into the respective locking slot ofthe first side rail by guidance of the alignment line.